Recent reports from Government officials have surfaced, asserting that China is maneuvering to fund certain non-governmental organizations (NGOs). This strategic investment aims to incite protests against the hydropower projects in process within Arunachal Pradesh.
Protesting NGOs and Their Concerns
NGOs are staging protests against India’s current efforts to restart work on previously stalled hydro projects. Among these are the high-capacity 2,000-megawatt (MW) Lower Subansiri and 2,880 MW Dibang projects run by the public sector enterprise, NHPC Ltd. At the same time, the government is striving to speed up the development of the 600MW Tawang-I and 800MW Tawang-II ventures within Arunachal Pradesh. These NGOs argue for the protection of the Forest Rights Act, stressing the ecological significance of the region. The area under contention serves as a habitat for unique species like barking deer, sambar, wild yak, serow, goral, wild boar, red panda, clouded leopard, snow leopard, and musk deer.
| Species | Presence in Arunachal |
|---|---|
| Barking Deer | Yes |
| Sambar | Yes |
| Wild Yak | Yes |
| Red Panda | Yes |
| Snow Leopard | Yes |
Arunachal Pradesh’s Untapped Hydropower Potential
Arunachal Pradesh is a host to an impressive 103 private hydropower projects, which currently are yet to launch. Together, these projects yield a staggering total capacity of 35 gigawatts (GW).
India-China Water Relation Framework And The Lack Of Bilateral Water Treaty
India and China’s water relations have yet to solidify in the form of a formal, bilateral water treaty. Currently, only a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) exists between the nations concerning the Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers. This agreement only facilitates the sharing of hydrological data pertinent to floods and emergency situations.
China’s Reorientation Towards The Brahmaputra River and Its Impacts
China has undertaken a significant $62-billion dollar south-north water diversion scheme focused on the Yarlung Tsangpo, the upper reach of the Brahmaputra river. With this strategy, China aims to address its mounting water scarcity issue, which arises out of demographic growth, industrial advancement, urban expansion, and increased demand for irrigated farming.
According to China’s claims, approximately 90% of Tibetan runoff flows downstream to South Asia and Southeast Asia. In pursuit of securing its priority rights over these waters, China is investing heavily in constructing dams over the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) river. The end goal, it seems, is to assert its rights under the Principle of Prior Appropriation.
Indian authorities are apprehensive that China’s dam construction in the Tibetan plateau would reduce the flow of river water into India. Consequently, Indian strategists argue that any delay in building hydropower projects on rivers originating in China in Arunachal Pradesh could compromise India’s strategy of establishing its prior-use claim over the waters.
The Principle of Prior Appropriation
The Principle of Prior Appropriation supports neither upstream or downstream states, but rather the state that first uses the water. This principle safeguards the right to continue using the water as done previously. Some experts, however, argue that 80% of the waters of the Brahmaputra are inherently added after the river enters India. As such, China’s dam construction on the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) might not be as alarming as initially perceived.